Courage
by howorganic
Summary: So how did Kurt get hold of that picture of Blaine in 2X06? Here's my take


**A/N: My idea of how Kurt acquired the picture of Blaine in 2X06. Not sure if I should go on with this or leave it as a one shot - please let me know what you think! Enjoy :)**

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><p>Blaine leaned on the mesh of the bleachers at apparent ease with the situation he and Kurt had just been through. "Well he's not coming out any time soon!" He joked, attempting to diffuse the tension that had arisen when Karofsky had stormed down the steps away from them. But Kurt didn't laugh.<p>

Feeling as though his knees could no longer hold his weight, Kurt moved and sat, shaken, on the steps behind him. He could feel the rush, the terror, sweeping through his veins and could hear blood pounding in his ears as he stayed very still, attempting to ease the adrenaline that had come from their confrontation. A broken sigh oozed from between his lips and Blaine, hearing him, looked over in concern.

"What's going on?" Blaine inquired sensitively, his voice high and gentle. Then, when Kurt made no reply, "Why are you so upset?". He moved to sit by his new friend.

Kurt explained, and as he did so Blaine felt a pang of empathy, remembering the humiliation he himself had been through when he was in his freshman year, and recognising Kurt's feeling of powerlessness. "Come on," he spoke, getting to his feet, "I'll buy you lunch". Blaine smirked as they made their way down in silence, a plan forming in his mind. Kurt's eyes moved momentarily to Blaine's lips, perplexed as to the meaning behind his smirk, but continued to move in silence.

They reached the parking lot and Blaine held his car door open for Kurt to climb in. Kurt, paused, spotting a plastic envelope on the seat and picking it up. Blaine had climbed in on his side before he realized, and a look of horror shot his features as he saw what Kurt had found. "Kurt!" He exclaimed, reaching over for the plastic, but Kurt turned away, his anxieties forgotten as playfulness took him over. He laughed at Blaine's panic, turning the wallet over in his hands.

Blaine stared through the front window in resignation as Kurt pulled out several copies of a school photo. The photos all showed the same one of Blaine, smiling at the camera with lips pressed together in a genuine smile that mimicked the one he had already bestowed on Kurt on a number of occassions. Kurt laughed out loud in astonishment, and the hilarity of Blaine keeping a school photo of himself on his passenger seat.

"Shush! Stop it" Blaine groaned, quietening Kurt's guffaws to sniggers, "I can explain, alright?"

"I should hope so!" Kurt chortled, "I'm expecting a very good reason for you to have a picture of yourself sitting beside you. Had you planned to hang it in here?" He teased, as the tips of Blaine's ears blushed a gentle rouge and he batted away the hand Kurt was brandishing the picture with, a chuckle escaping his lips.

"No! No. That's just my school photo," Blaine laughed, "They take one at the start of every semester at Dalton. I was going to throw it away!" He said, making another attempt to grab the photo, but Kurt transferred it to his other hand, holding Blaine off with his arm. Blaine pulled away, laughing, and faced the front again, straightening his tie. "We'll just put it in the bin at the Lima Bean, alright?" He questioned of Kurt, who was slouched in the chair examining the photo with a smile playing on his lips. "Kurt?" Blaine turned his head, but Kurt put the photo down on his lap and turned his attention to Blaine.

"The Lima Bean?" Kurt asked.

"Yeah!" Blaine said, putting the keys in the ignition and moving his hand to his seatbelt. "They do great French toast.

Kurt shook his head, sitting up and smoothing his hair. "Uh-uh, we ain't going to the Lima Bea; it's miles away and I'm starving. There's a Diner just around the corner. It's got a nice atmosphere and I have never yet seen a Mckinley football player set foot in there." He frowned slightly, remembering Karofsky, the bullying and the kiss.

"Nice atmosphere, huh?" Blaine tried to distract him.

"Mmm, quaint..." Kurt murmered, his mind on other things.

"Alright then, Mr Hummel" Blaine turned the key in the ignition, "Mysterious diner it is. Just through these gates?"

"Yes, then along the road and to the right." Kurt directed, as Blaine moved the car from the spot and accelerated briskly from the parking lot. Kurt's mind went back to Karofsky, and the disaster of his first kiss.

He had always imagined his first kiss with a guy to be romantic, perfectly timed and meaningful. In his mind he had crafted situations in which Kurt would seduce a shirtless Taylor Lautner, and kiss in the pouring rain, in a passionate embrace that would be the climax of brewing desires and would lead to a long and happy relationship. Kurt had made his fantasies into miny Broadway shows, full of subtext and longing, and ending with him marrying the dashing leading man and living happily ever after. Karofsky had taken all of those ideals from him. Karofsky had taken Kurt's dreams, and dragged them roughly into the real world. Karofsky had linked Kurt's first kiss memories with feelings of frustration and disappointment. Kurt could never get that kiss back, and he would never forgive Karofsky for that.

"Hey." Blaine turned to him softly. They had stopped in front of a quiet diner near the school. "This the place?" Kurt nodded and smiled faintly. Blaine grinned at him slowly, unbuckling his seatbelt. "Feel free to toss that in the dumpster." Blaine gestured to his school photo as he climbed from the car. Kurt looked down as Blaine got out. He checked to see Blaine wasn't looking, then pulled out a photo from the envelope and tucked it into his satchel. He climbed from the car and walked quickly to join Blaine, holding his satchel close. Blaine's texts popped into his mind and he smiled. Kurt knew what he needed. It was simple. Courage.


End file.
